HC Deb 14 March 1994 vol 239 cc483-5W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what evidence he has of the effects of the Chinese population control programme in creating an imbalance between the sexes in China;

(2) what information he has regarding the incidence of female infanticide, abortion of female unborn children and female slavery as a result of the Chinese population control programme.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 11 March 1994]: Her Majesty's Government are aware of reports from China of female infanticide and abortion of female foetuses, and of an imbalance between the sexes. We have received no authoritative information which would lead to relating these reports to Chinese Government policies.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what meetings officials from his Department have had with the Chinese Family Planning Association to discuss the implementation of the Chinese population control programme since November 1992;

(2) what meetings officials from his Department have had with the Committee of Population and the Economy to discuss the implementation of the Chinese population control programme since November 1992;

(3) what meetings officials from his Department have had with the Chinese state Family Planning Commission to discuss the implementation of the Chinese population control programme since November 1992.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answers 11 March 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 5 November 1993, Official Report, columns 599–600. Staff of the British embassy in Beijing have also had contacts with the two other organisations to which the hon. Member refers.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has received since November 1992 from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities regarding human rights violations as a result of the implementation of the Chinese population control programme;

(2) what information he has received from the International Planned Parenthood Federation regarding human rights violations as a result of the implementation of the Chinese population control programme.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answers 11 March 1994]: The United Nations Population Fund and International Planned Parenthood Federation have not provided authoritative information on such human rights violations. These organisations are encouraging the Chinese authorities and the Chinese Family Planning Association to establish mechanisms for reporting and dealing with any such violations.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received from other Government Departments regarding the need to continue overseas aid provision to China.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 11 March 1994]: By long-standing convention discussions of this sort between Departments are confidential.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what meetings officials from his Department have had with the United Nations Fund for Population Activities to discuss the implementation of the Chinese population control programme since November 1992;

(2) what meetings officials from his Department have had with the International Planned Parenthood Federation to discuss the Chinese population control programme since November 1992.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answers 11 March 1994]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey to Lord Braine of Wheatley in another place on 20 January 1994, House of Lords Official Report, column 53.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings officials from his Department have had with the campaign Free Tibet to discuss the implementation of the Chinese population control programme.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 11 March 1994]: Officials of the Overseas Development Administration and diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have had contacts with the campaign Free Tibet, including a meeting on 1 December 1993 at which human rights issues were discussed.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to differences between the implementation of the Chinese population control programme in China and Tibet.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 11 March 1994]: There are variations in the family planning programmes between individual provinces throughout China, including Tibet. An analysis of the regulations will be undertaken by the Chinese Family Planning Association during 1994.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has on trends in the level of breaches of human rights arising from the Chinese population control programme since November 1992.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 11 March 1994]: Authoritative information is not available.